Bathrooms. Every dwelling unit shall contain a bathroom
equipped with a flush water closet, tub or shower and lavatory basin.
All such fixtures must be in good working order and equipped with
hot (one hundred ten degree Fahrenheit (110°F) or greater temperature)
and cold running water when used for bathing purposes. Plumbing fixtures
shall drain to an approved sewage disposal system.

Electrical And Lighting Requirements. Minimum electrical
service is to be sixty (60) ampere, three-wire, two hundred forty
(240) volts. Every bathroom shall have at least one (1) GFCI protected
outlet and others, if any, shall be of the GFCI type also. All laundry
areas shall have a grounded outlet with the ground being functional;
if ground is not available, a GFCI outlet shall be required. A GFCI
outlet shall be installed in all kitchens where the outlets are installed
to serve the countertop surfaces and are located within six (6) feet
of the outside edge of the sink, this also pertains to mop sinks,
wetbars and any other open water sources and the above GFCIs shall
be maintained in good working order. All sump pumps shall have a grounded
outlet with the ground being functional; if ground is not present,
a GFCI outlet shall be installed and maintained in good working order.
All electrical splices shall be put in a box with proper covers and
connectors and all electrical wires entering furnaces, water heaters,
garbage disposals and other appliances shall be secured with proper
connectors. Every switch, outlet and fixture shall be properly installed
and maintained in good and safe working condition. Any hazardous condition
must be remedied when threatening to human life or safety.

Heating And Ventilation. Every dwelling unit shall be equipped
with heating facilities capable of maintaining a temperature of sixty-eight
degrees Fahrenheit (68°F) or greater when the outside temperature
is zero degrees (0°). Such heating equipment must be connected
safely to the heat source and properly vented. Each habitable room
shall be provided with at least one (1) window.

Plumbing. Every kitchen shall have a sink properly connected
to a private sewage disposal system. Water heating facilities shall
be properly installed, maintained and capable of providing an adequate
amount of water to be drawn at every sink, lavatory, bathtub, shower
and laundry facility at a temperature of not less than one hundred
ten degrees Fahrenheit (110°F). Water heaters shall have an approved
combination temperature and pressure relief valve and a relief valve
discharge pipe of three-quarters (¾) inch diameter be installed
to a height of six (6) inches above the floor. All plumbing fixtures
shall be properly installed and maintained in working order and shall
be kept free from obstructions, leaks and defects and be capable of
performing the function for which the said plumbing fixtures are designed.
All plumbing fixtures shall be maintained in a safe, sanitary and
functional condition.

Doors And Windows. All windows shall be kept in good repair,
weather-tight, free from cracks and holes, with proper glazing materials
free of defects to hold the glass in place. Every door, frame and
hardware shall be kept in good repair, sound condition and free from
holes and defects.

Stairways, Handrails And Guards. Every handrail and guard
shall be firmly fastened and capable of supporting normally imposed
loads and shall be maintained in good condition. Every exterior and
interior flight of stairs having more than four (4) risers and every
open portion of a stair, landing, balcony, porch, deck, ramp or other
walking surface which is more than thirty (30) inches above the floor
or grade below shall have guards. Handrails shall not be less than
thirty (30) inches nor more than forty-two (42) inches high, measured
vertically above the nosing of the tread or above the finished floor
of the landing or walking surfaces. Guards shall not be less than
thirty (30) inches high above the floor of the landing, balcony, porch,
deck, ramp or other walking surface. All stairs, decks, porches and
appurtenances shall be maintained in a safe condition and in good
repair.

Access By Owner Or Operator. Every occupant of a structure
or premises shall give the owner or operator thereof or agent or employee
access to any part of such structure or its premises at reasonable
times for the purpose of making such inspection, maintenance, repairs
or alterations as are necessary to comply with the provisions of this
Code.

Fire Safety. In the interest of fire safety, one (1) working
smoke alarm must be installed for each six hundred (600) square feet
of living space. House numbers of at least three (3) inches tall shall
be affixed to the exterior of the building facing the street in front
and shall be readable by emergency personnel from the street in front
of the building.

Every
dwelling unit shall be made up of at least two hundred (200) square
feet for the first (1st) occupant and one hundred twenty-five (125)
square feet for each additional occupant thereof. Basement space or
attic space shall not be counted as living space for the requirements
of this Chapter.

It is unlawful for any person to hereafter occupy, or for any
owner or agent thereof to permit the occupation of, any dwelling unit
for any purpose until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by
the City. The certificate of occupancy so issued shall state that
the occupancy complies with all of the provisions of this Chapter.
Any owner, occupant or agent that permits the occupation of the above
said occupancy permit shall have all City water and sewer services
terminated.

Prior
to any person occupying a dwelling unit or any owner or agent thereof
permitting the occupation of any dwelling unit, application by the
owner or his/her agent shall be made to the City Clerk for the issuance
of an occupancy permit. The application shall be on a form provided
by the City Clerk and shall include the following minimum information:

The
applications shall be signed by the owner or his/her designated agent
and submitted to the City Clerk's office accompanied by a fee of twenty-five
dollars ($25.00) per dwelling unit. Owners of multiple-family units
may choose to have entire buildings inspected annually. When all apartments
in one (1) building are inspected in one (1) day, the inspection fee
shall be twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first (1st) unit, twenty
dollars ($20.00) for the second (2nd) unit, fifteen dollars ($15.00)
for the third (3rd) unit and ten dollars ($10.00) for each additional
unit in the same building. It is unlawful for any person to knowingly
make false statement in his/her application for an occupancy permit.

When
the inspection authority determines that there are one (1) or more
items of non-compliance with the standards set forth above, the owner
or agent will be notified of the areas of non-compliance and the remedial
action necessary to correct the non-compliance. This notification
shall be in writing. All items must be corrected prior to the issuance
of an occupancy permit.

Inspections
shall no longer be valid after ninety (90) days. If the dwelling does
not become occupied within ninety (90) days of being found to be in
compliance, another inspection with the required fee to be paid will
be necessary.

Appeal
hearings will be open to the public and shall be held no later than
thirty (30) days from the date of request received in writing. Notice
of the date and time and location of the hearing will be posted in
the usual place for posting of public notices.

The
City Council will render their decision after hearing comments from
the aggrieved party and the inspection authority. The City Council
may reverse or affirm, wholly or in part, or may modify the order,
requirement, decision or termination appealed from and make such order,
requirement, decision or termination as ought to be made under the
provisions of this Chapter.

Variances
may be granted by the City Council when strict enforcement of this
Chapter would cause an undue hardship or be impossible to comply.
However, in no case may the City Council award a variance when immediate
human health or safety is involved. Decisions of the City Council
shall be made by majority vote and recorded in the minutes and shall
be final.

Any person convicted of a violation of any provision of this
Chapter shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars
($50.00), nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment
for not more than thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Each day that such violation continues may be considered as a separate
offense.